Palácio Quitandinha

The Palácio Quitandinha (Portuguese for "Quitandinha Palace") is a historic former luxury hotel, casino and convention center in Petrópolis, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 1947, the Palácio Quitandinha was the site of the Rio Treaty, attended by United States President Harry Truman.

The hotel was, for many years, probably the second most famous hotel of the country, after the Copacabana Palace hotel in Rio de Janeiro, which is only about 65 km from Petrópolis. The scenic artificial lake in front of the hotel, loosely resembling the shape of Brazil, was built as a source of water in the event of a fire.

For the first two years, it was known as the "Cassino Hotel Quitandinha" and was the largest hotel casino in Latin America. However in 1946, it turned into a regular hotel, after gambling was outlawed in Brazil by the federal government that year. As a result, the casino closed after only two years.

Famous guests who stayed at the hotel included Errol Flynn, Orson Welles, Lana Turner, Henry Fonda, Maurice Chevalier, Greta Garbo, Carmen Miranda, Walt Disney, Bing Crosby, politicians like Eva Perón and president Getúlio Vargas of Brazil and king Carol II of Romania.

The hotel eventually closed in 1962 and its rooms were sold as private residences in 1963.

 Trivia 
A restaurant owner from the town of Areia Branca in the Brazilian state of Paraná, Reinaldo Paolini, once stayed at the Hotel Palácio Quitandinha. He was so impressed by this casino hotel that he named his restaurant in Areia Branca after it. Over time, the name "Quitandinha" became common for Areia Branca until the town was officially named after the Palácio Quitandinha in 1961.

Gallery

References

Other websites

 Casinos in Brazil - Photos, Videos and Facts About Quitandinha Palace Casino 
 Living in Quitandinha 

Category:Hotels
Category:Convention and exhibition centers
Category:Buildings and structures in Brazil
Category:Petrópolis
Category:1944 establishments
Category:1940s establishments in Brazil